Hair and nail diseases in the mature patient

Abstract

The elderly population is growing, lifespans are increasing, and a greater emphasis on geriatric care is being implemented in hospital systems. With a higher percentage of the population living longer, hair and nail diseases associated with the advanced stages of life are becoming more prevalent. Common hair diseases in the elderly include androgenetic alopecia, senile alopecia, frontal fibrosing alopecia, and erosive pustular dermatosis of the scalp. Nail diseases associated with advanced age include onychomycosis, brittle nails, onychocryptosis, onychoclavus, onychogryphosis, subungual hematomas, subungual exostosis, myxoid cysts, and malignancies. These diseases can have a serious impact on a patient's quality of life. In an effort to familiarize the reader with these common changes and abnormalities, we discuss hair and nail diseases in the mature patient.